Birdwatching Tour in Cajas National Park from Cuenca

The park is located only 45 minutes from Cuenca. This lagoon system, with over 230 lakes, invites you to enjoy one of the nicest landscapes in South America. There are different ecosystems such as: Andean Mountain forest, Polylepis forest, paramo or grassland. You will have the chance to spot many interesting birds, even the endemic hummingbird of Cajas - the “Violet Throated Metaltail”- one of the most important birds in Ecuador. Also, on this tour you will see the beautiful Tit Like Dacnis, Blue Mantled Thornbill, Stout Billed Cinclodes, Tawny Antpitta, Spectacled Whitestar, Tyrian Metaltail, Gray Breasted Mountain Toucan, Andean Guan, and so much more.

Itinerary

1. El Cajas National Park · 8 h

   El Cajas National Park has different ecosystems as a moorland, high grassland or paramo, cloudy forest, polylepis forest, which allows us to offer the following program. Pick up in your hotel or residence in Cuenca to go to the middles part of the park, approx 3800masl (12800 ft). Here we can see birds like: • Tufted Tit Tyrant • Variable Hawk • Red Rumped Bush Tyrant • Plain Colored Seedeater • Aandean Rudy Duck • Tit Like Dacnis • Stout Billed Cinclodes • Bar Winged Cilclodes • Brown Back Chat Tyrant • Many Striped Canastero • Aandean Tit Spinetail • Blue Mantled Thornbill • Ecuadorian Hillstar • Giant Conebill • Violet Throated Metaltail (Endemic) • Tawny Antpita After lunch proceed to visit the lowest part, Llaviuco Valley located 3200masl (10500 ft). In this beautiful valley you can see birds like: • Masked Trogon • Gray Breasted Mountain Toucan • Turquoise Jay • Black Flowerpierced • Grass Wren • Black Crested Warbler • Brown Bellied Swallow • Tyrian Metaltail • Rainbow Starfrontlet • Shining Sunbeam... and more!This tour will end with your hotel drop-off in Cuenca.

What's included

• Box lunch or Lunch
• Pick up (hotels or apartments)
• Binoculars (please ask for these in advance)
• Private transportation
• Bird list of the area
• Bilingual birdwatcher tour guide

What's not included

• Personal expenses
• Tips
• Gratuities

Start time

06:30

Languages

In-person guide: English, Spanish

Travellers

• Adult (19–80)

Options

• Private tourfrom €105.93

  Option for people who prefer to carry out this activity according to their requirements.

  Pickup included

  Start time: 06:30

  In-person guide: Spanish, English

• Group tourfrom €96.72

  option for people who don´t mind sharing with other birders.

  Pickup included

  Start time: 06:30

  In-person guide: Spanish, English

Additional information

• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
• Minimum age is 12 years
• Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
• A current valid passport is required on the day of travel

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.